East Hartford Man's 14-Year Life Under Stolen Identity Comes To An End

December 05, 2012|By CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN, Special to The Courant, The Hartford Courant

For 14 years, Ronald E. Thomas of East Hartford had a valid Connecticut driver's license with a phony name, including the three years when he was wanted on charges of stealing the identity on the license.

Thomas, 47, is accused of stealing a New York man's identity in 1998 and using it that year to obtain a Connecticut driver's license.

He also secured credit, acquired phone lines and bought a car — later repossessed — with the man's name, according to court records. He even put his child support case under the fraudulent identity, records show.

Thomas' luck finally ran out on Nov. 27, when Vernon police investigating another matter arrested him on a 2009 warrant charging him with identity theft and forgery.

The Department of Motor Vehicles terminated Thomas' fraudulent license Wednesday after receiving an inquiry from the Courant.

"We take very seriously the security of our credentials that establish identity," DMV Spokesman William Seymour said. "We are conducting an internal review of this matter. Today we revoked the license following a discussion with Wethersfield police that their 2009 arrest warrant was served recently when the person was apprehended on another matter."

Upon being turned over to Wethersfield police, Thomas admitted being an illegal immigrant and buying the man's birth certificate and other documents "on the street," Wethersfield Police Chief James Cetran said. He allegedly made similar admissions to Vernon police, Vernon Sgt. Kerry Reynolds said.

Thomas is originally from the Caribbean, but Cetran and Reynolds did not know which country.

"The victim of this had no clue as to who [Thomas] was," Cetran said. "He really did a number and a half on this poor guy."

In 2006, the victim, Kevin L. Brown of the Bronx, discovered that someone in Connecticut was using his identity, according to Thomas' arrest affidavit. The identity thief had not only his name and date of birth, but also his Social Security number.

Thomas began receiving letters from creditors. Connecticut Support Enforcement Division also contacted him about unpaid child support, the affidavit says.

Brown eventually cleared up his credit, but in 2009 the New York Department of Motor Vehicles refused to renew his license because it said he had one in Connecticut, the affidavit reads.

In October 2009, Brown traveled to the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles in Wethersfield, where officials told him to file a complaint with Wethersfield police, which he did, according to court records. Brown could not be located for comment Wednesday.

Wethersfield Det. James Darby found that Thomas used Brown's name in contacts with police. Thomas identified himself to Hartford police as Kevin Brown in seven cases between 1998 and 2006, court records say.

In December 2009, a Superior Court judge signed a warrant charging Thomas with third-degree identity theft and second-degree forgery.

On Nov. 27, Vernon police went to Apple Auto Transport to investigate a report that some of the vehicles had not arrived at their destinations, police said. Thomas, a mechanic, was the only employee present at the time, police said. He identified himself by his true name, and a check turned up the warrant, Kerry said.

Thomas was released on a promise to appear in court. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 7 at Superior Court in New Britain.